When I turn my printer on, I lose network connection

This is a discussion on When I turn my printer on, I lose network connection within the Networking Support forums, part of the Tech Support Forum category. I have one computer downstairs that is connected to the internet and to an epson stylus RX685 printer. I have

I have one computer downstairs that is connected to the internet and to an epson stylus RX685 printer. I have another computer upstairs that is connect to the computer downstairs using an ad-hoc network (no routers and such) so that I can acces the internet on the upstairs computer.

The problem that I'm having is that when I turn on the printer, I lose the ability to use my network. The network still seems to be connected but it doesn't transfer data, making me loose the ability to use the internet on the upstairs computers. When I turn the printer off again the problem sometimes goes away, but sometimes I have to reboot to get the network working again. The strange thing is that the printer is connected to the downstairs pc via USB, it's not a network printer or anything so I doubt it's a network conflict. Anyone that can help me out?

Both pc's are running Windows XP SP2, and the network usb dongles i'm using are linksys wusb54gc

E: forgot to mention, if I turn the printer on before turning on the downstairs pc, the screen will just turn black instead of giving me the windows log on screen

Yeah it's also USB connected. But the printer gets it's power from a power cable, not from the USB port itself. I've tried moving the dongle around but that also made me loose networking capability even though it still shows up as being connected and such. Reinstalling drivers etc didn't help.

Is there any way to boost my usb power or something? Given the fact that the computer doesn't correctly boot when the printer is turned on does indeed point to something of an USB overload.

Ill check out the option of getting a router. I chose for the current configuration because it was a lot cheaper (at the time a lot of the cheaper routers would not work with my current modem or something) but since the way the network is set up now also has a lot of other downsides maybe a router is my best option.

E: on the other hand, if I use a router I still have to have an USB dongle connected to the downstairs computer so it can get internet connection from the router. The only USB device that will actually be removed is the modem. Will that be enough to fix the USB power issue?

It may be something other than USB power, since the printer isn't drawing any significant power from the USB. You could install a separate USB PCI card in the machine and connect the printer to that, that would eliminate any USB power issues.

I'd wonder if the printer is perhaps generating EMI and interfering, have you tried simply moving the printer?

I've ever had a problem of this type when I had a modem USB (witch consume a lot), the solution was a USB HUB with a self power supply. So if you remove you USB modem, I'm shure that "the USB power issue" will be resolved.

Nowadays, a routeur is the best solution! If you get one, your upstairs computer will be able to go to the Internet even if your downstairs computer is shutdown.